Divider for files



July 9, 1935. B. G. RAND 2,007,547

DIVIDER FOR FILES Filed Feb. 27-, 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fig]. 23 37 nu, 22 Y I 27 25 29 gvwmtoz July 9, 1935. B. G. RAND DIVIDER FOR FILES 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1932 n flan 0min. 6.120120 Patented July-9,' 1935 I :Benjam in G. Rand, North Tonawanda, N. Y.,

,;assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, NY.

QApplicationl ebruary 27, 1 93 2 ,erial' No. 595,615

13 Claims. c1..129- 1s) C 'he present invention relates to divider's'io'r insertion in drawers offiling cabinets or like devices, and has particular reference to dividers adapted to normally retain filedmaterial invertical IJQSiti OIlLbllt constructed so that the dividers may be moved out of their normal position under. tension during inspection of filed matter but will, return to the normal position after the inspectionland whenever they arefree to'move.

j' I his invention provides animproved divider for insertion in drawers: of filing cab-inets or like devices for dividingfa seriesloffiles into groups and'also for ulse in place of: the usiial follower to hold filed-,materialinfafcompact and upright l5positionwithin the draWer; the top portions of the dividersfbeing movable relative to the top of V the index drawer so that the material held in the draweris readily separable, for inspection by a filing operator orclerk' without the necessity ai a lv' c e i n wr Inthe drawings;

and'their method of assembly.

Fig 1i is an enlargedview in perspective show- 5 3 1 39 Q. ,9 h Pan ta ni esifi 5 is a jraginentarycross-section through a draw'er showingalmodifled iorm of divider,

a drawershowing another form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is; an enlarged view in perspective of the panelattaching member 'offFilg. 5.

4 attachingmeans of Fig.3." g

Fig. 9} is a fragmentary 'viewin' perspective showing part of the "side wall of the drawer showndnFig 5 formed to receivetheattaching niea nsoirthe panel.

'A drawer or other container for receiving cards of removing part or all of the'material from the l drawer, and after such inspection will move s'eparated material irom an ular position autoand compact posia -l "ig. 1 is a eross section of :a' dra wer of filecon l tainer with the divider of invention applied;

section of one of the retaining niembersjatt'ached' 5 parent hereinafter.

T Fig. 8jis an enlargedfliew in perspective oifthe' 29 comprises a back 30, side walls 3l and inwardlyextending front flange portions 32 which proa Fig. '10 is an' enlarged fragmentary view in-peror correspondence files in vertical position is in "dicated generally-at! I, having sides 12 and a bottom l3. The bottom is formed with a pair of longitudinally extending offset portions 14 to provide channels I5 adjacent the sides and a cen- 5 tral channel (6 in the center in the usual man ner} Retaining and spacing strips 11, extending longitudinally of the drawer, are secured to offset portions '14 and are formed'with a series of transverse slots l8 as shown in Figs. 1 and '4. The freeends of 'strips'l'i extend upwardly as shownat I!) and are-securedlto the front and back walls of drawer l I. n

(A divider 20, in the iormoi a substantially rectangular sheet-metal plate, has a 'pair of pro- 15 jections 2! on the loweredge for engaging in slots l8 of strips l1. 7 The divider 20 is held in adjusted position by this engagement of projections 2| and slots I8 and may then be rockedback and forth to allow inspection of the files it supports;

'Ifhis divider is normally held in a' substantially 20 vertical position by an anchoring and actuating I device. I V

An outwardly extending finger 22 is formed on or attached to each end of the panel'at a point thereen; normally above the top of the drawer as shown in Fig. 1. -Finger 22 is provided with a twisted end 23 formed with .a slot 24 therein for engagement with means for retaining the panellockedinthe drawer, as will be made ap- A secondfinger 25 -is attached to the panel and extends outwardly thereiromto' provide anchoring meansfor a resilient atta'ching'member. and to this end is provided with a twisted head portion 2! formed with side recesses or notches 28 as'shown in Figs. Zand 3.

The anchoring and actuating device has an anchoring member 29 provided for engagement h p l e withfingers 22'and'25 forretaining and anchor- V Fig; 61 is a fragmentary cross-section through ing-the panel within'the drawer and to provide for the return thereof to an upright position should the panel beinadvertentlyor wilfully pushed from a-vertical position in the drawen In the form'illus'trated infFigs. 1,- 2 and 3, member 29 actuated by springs 33. Members 29 are guided in their movement on heads 21 through the sliding fit between flanges 32 in slots 28.

An upwardly extending tongue 31 is provided upon the forward side of member 29 above the ears 35 for engagement with slot 24.

The fingers 22 and 25 on thepanel or divider are arranged in such a relation that when members 29 are inoperative, either during adjustment of the dividers in a drawer or during the detachment, storage or other handling of the dividers when detached from a drawer, the tongues 31 will be engaged in slots 24 and held in this position by the tension of springs 33. When members 29'are in operative position tongues 31 will be normally disengaged from. slots 2| as will be hereinafter described.

After inserting the panel in the drawer in such fashion that the downwardly extending members 2! formed on the lower edge thereof ceoperate with an aligned pair of slots la, a hook member 38 formed on the lower end of eaehzanchor member 29 is engaged over the lower edge of a strip 39 which extendsiong'itudinally of the drawer upon the outer side thereof to forms slot, and hasan ofiset flange to receive hook 38.

In this position each of the members 29 will have the tongue 31 below end 23 of finger 22 and;

member 29 will be free to rock relative to head 21 with flanges 32 guided in slots -28, springs 33 revertical position as -in Fig. 1, the head 21 lies 4 slightly above the ears 36.

panel. 20 by springs 33 will-also move adjacent correspondence files or cards into a vertical compact filed-position. When the files-are to be inspected the operator or clerkcan separate the files at any point by pushing the topsof =adiacentfiles apart so theindexesor other inscriptions-may be read. thefiles are pushed-apart by an operator the adjacentdivideror dividers will be operated so that-panels 20 will-rocker -tilt about the lower ends of projections 2l en gaged inslots l8. In this tiltingorrockingmovement of panels 20, anchor members -23 willbe rocked about the :hook connection with strips 39, flanges '32 will slide-through notchesfl, and

"springs 33 will be elongated and their tension increased. Upon-release of thefiles bytheoperator,- the'springs 33- acting onthe strips 39 through hooks 38 and on the panel" through connection with head 2! will returnpanel-ZO-tovertical-po-- sition together with thosefllesthat were rocked I I of the. drawer. When it desired-to shift a divider it is first or tilted with the divider.

necessary to disengagehooks 38 fi'Omf Stl'ipS 39.

v then tongues 31 are usually engaged in' openings 241: hold anchor members 29 in position. fWhen this is complete, the whole dividermay be .read

ily removed from the drawer-and-replacedoin any desired position-for itsusual operation. by

first positioning projections 2|" ina pair of slots l8 and engaging hooks '38with strips 39.

index drawer or the like and retained-therein-by means I of projections 2 I which cooperate with This operation :of I

slots I 8' of strip member II placed in the bottom of the drawer. This cooperation maintains the panel in a relatively fixed position with respect to the bottom of the drawer but permits relative rocking or tilting movement of the top of the panel longitudinally of the drawer. In order to permit longitudinal movement of the top of the panel a laterally extending finger 40 is attached to the panel for guiding and receiving the rod ll in aperture 33 0! the finger and for retaining one end 01' a coiled spring 42 which encircles member and is connected to finger 40.

'The other end of the spring is fixed to the lower sure is exerted upon the top or the rod 4|, the

ing portion M terminating in an upwardly ell-- tending tip '45 adapted to engage with aslot L6 formed in -a recessed portion-41 oi! the side wall I2 of thedrawen-as shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 9.

Since spring 42 is normally attached at one end .to finger All andat the other end to the lower portion of the rodsuch-as the inwardly-extending portion u, the :tension of thespring retains panel 20 in an upright position in the file drawer, the operation being-the same-as thatdescribed forthestructure shown infig. 1. Thuslonsitudinal movement of the-top the panel increases the tension .upon thespringsfl thmmroducing a longitudinal .foroecomponentttending to move the panel into a vertical position.

i In vthe .form of .theinvention shown in :6, panel .20 is .provided .with an apertured .outwardly extending finger 82in aposition-uponthe panelwhich is normally -above:the .uppflredge onthp side-walls: of the drawer inwhichthepanel is inserted. The panel is provided with projections 2| formed on the bottomedge thereof ior insertion in .transverseslots 18" formed inthe strip-member .11? on the bottom of thedrawer as explained more rullyhereinabove.

.A rod .50 slidably engaged by the aperture oi .flnge'r 405 .a head member 52 being provided thereon which serves as a .stop and metainim member -for the compressed coiled spring whichengages upon finger l0 .atitsother end. Rod 5% isprovided with-a shoulder which limits the upward movemento frod 50 with-respectto the finger u'.

Rod 50 is further provided .with inwardly nextending; portion adjacent the lower endrtherv of wl'lichiisi formed with anupwardly-extending tip-55.101 engagement with spaced-slot members 56 formed in a beaded portion .51 of theside wall In this form elf-the invention panelsareinserted. inthe drawer by. engaging the. projections 2 I with the cooperating slots: l3 upon the-bot tom; of .the-.drawer and by pressing downwardly upon-the heads. 52gof.the 'rods'ill :so that inward- 1y extending portions. thereofwiil protrude into aligned slots 56 in the sides of the drawer-and the tip. portions 55 will contact with'the side wallsot the drawer. Upon: release of pressure uponthe rod- 50,: the. pressure of the coiled spring. i lupon the head of the. rod and upon the finger lll' -insures a suificient force-tonne the panel into-an upright position within the drawer,: a pivoting To this end.

. tion and may be readily removed from and re-,.

wall of the drawer, to retain-the panel in a vertical position until it is moved from the vertical by an fop'erator gaining access to the filed material:

contained in the drawer. i

-'It is clearly seen 'that the present invention provides a divider fora file or like'device-which insured. I

The device further provides means within an index drawer, or like filing device, wherebyfiled material is caused to assume a neat, compact and upright position therein but may be easily displaced from the vertical position for inspecplaced in the file drawer or container.

What is claimed is:

1. In a filing device, a drawer, a divider comprising a panel, means for detachably holding a lower. portion of the panel in position in the drawer for rocking movement, anchoring members on opposite ends of the panel for detachable engagement with said drawer, and resilient means attached to said anchoring members and said panel for maintaining the panel in operative relation in the drawer and cooperatingto normally move and retain said panel in a substantially vertical position in said drawer.

2. In a filing device, a drawer, a divider comprising a panel, means for detachably holding a lower portion of said panel in position in the drawer for rocking movement, anchoring members slidably mounted at opposite ends of the panel and adapted to be detachably connected to the sides of the drawer, cooperating means on said members and the panel for limiting the movement thereof relative to the panel, and resilient means engaging said anchoring members and said panel for normally retaining the panel in the drawer in assembled relation with the panel normally and resiliently retained in a vertical position relative to the drawer.

3. In a filing device, a drawer, a divider comprising a. panel, means for retaining 'a lower portion of said panel in position for rocking movement in the drawer, extensions on the sides of the panel above the top of the drawer, anchoring members engaged with said extensions and adapted to detachably engage with said drawer, and means for resiliently actuating said the drawer, normally operable to'hold said panel in a substantially vertical position.

5. In a filing device, a drawer, a divider panel, means for holding the bottom of said'panel in position for rocking movement on the bottom of said drawer, a perforated extension member upon the panel, a rod extending through said perforation and formed with a tip to engage any one of. a plurality of slots in the drawer, and resilient means engaging said extension tip engaged in one of said slots.

' 6. .In afiling: devica'a drawer, a'fdivider come prising'a panel, interengageable means on the lower' edgeof the panel and bottomportion of the drawer 'for detachably retaining the panel in an adjusted position in said drawer,said panel normally extending above theside walls of said drawer and having projections extending over and outwardly beyond the upper edges of said side walls and resilient meansconnecting said projections and the side walls" ,of said drawer, to normally retain said interengageable means vertical in the drawer.,

in engaged relation, and said panel substantially 7-.In a filing'devicaa drawer, a divider comprising a panel, means for detachably holding said panel in adjusted position in the drawer at the bottom portion thereof, an anchoring member slidably'connected to each side of said panel above the side walls of said drawer, said anchoring members having detachable engagement with the side walls of said drawer, and resilient means, engaging said panel and said anchoring members to retain said first-mentioned means and said anchoring members in engaged relation, and normally urge said panel to a vertical position in the file drawer.

8. In a filing device, a drawer, a divider panel, means for detachably anchoring said panel in the bottom portion of the file drawer for rocking movement relative thereto, a perforated extension, member on the panel, a rod extending through said perforated extension and formed with a tip to engage any one of a plurality of slots in the drawer, and resilient means engagingsaid perforated extension and a portion of said rod to retain said tip in engaged relation with one of said slots. 7

9; In combination with a drawer of a filing device, a divider panel, an anchoring member slidably engaged with the'panel, means on said anchoring member and said panel engageable to memberand actuating said rod for holding theretain said anchoring member substantially parfrom the drawer, said anchoring member having a part detachably connected to said drawer, and resilient means engaging said anchoring member and said panel for retaining said panel and drawer in assembled relation.

10. In a filing device, a drawer, a divider comprising a panel, supported on the bottom of the drawer for limited'rocking movement in any one of a plurality of positions, and resilient means connecting the side portions of the panel to the drawer and normally urging said panel into a substantially vertical position in the drawer and into engagement with the bottom of the drawer for support thereon.

11. In combination, a drawer having a bottom and side walls, a panel, cooperatingv parts on the bottom of said drawer and panel for detachably holding said panel in any one of a plurality of positions in the drawer for rocking movement, a retaining member slidably mounted on each end of said panel, resilient means carried by each retaining member connected to said panel and normally actuating said retaining member to move it in one direction relative to the panel, and cooperating parts on said retaining members and the drawer for detachably connecting said retaining members to the drawer with said'resilient means under tension, whereby said retaining means and resilient means will cooperate with said panel and drawer to normally urge said panel into a :substantiallyven tical position.

12. In combination, a drawer having a bottom and sidewalls, a panel having a projection on the bottom, a-strip mounted on said bottom and having a plurality ofs lots to selectively receive the projection on said panel, retaining members slidably and resiliently mounted on both ends of said panel and detachably connected to the sides of said drawer for normally urging said panel into an upright position and retaining said projection engaged in a slot in said strip.

13. In combination, a drawerhaving a bottom and side walls, a panel, means for holding the bottom of said panel in adjusted position on the bottom ot the drawer-ior limlted roekingmovement,; and retaining members-slidablyand pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the panel, each retaining member comprisinga channelsh aped member Iormed to provide a hook on one end to engage in a slot in the sidewall of the drawer, and stop means adjacent the opposite end for limiting sliding movement of said member relative to the panel, and a resilient member housed, in said channel-shaped member connected'thereto at one end and to said panel at the oppositeend, said resilient member and retaining members cooperating to normally retain said panel in a substantially upright position in said drawer.

j BENJAMIN G. RAND. 

